News

CA needs a pathway to achieving energy and climate goals by Graham Richard and Arno Harris

August 04, 2014 18:05
by
Industry News

Over the weekend, Inside Bay Area published a guest opinion from AEE CEO Graham Richard and Recurrent Energy CEO Arno Harris.

California is the leader of energy innovation in the United States. This status is rooted in the state's unique assets in entrepreneurship, intellectual property and venture capital combined with policy commitments to cleaner energy and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

We can see signs of progress all around: wind and solar farms in the desert, electric vehicles on the highways and solar on rooftops. The state is reaping benefits of these innovations in energy efficiency savings, cleaner air, jobs and business growth. The advanced energy economy is having an impact.

But California is at a critical juncture. The state's commitment to energy progress is about to be tested.

The state is well on its way to hitting its targets for 2020 -- 33 percent of electricity from renewable energy and greenhouse gas emissions reduced to 1990 levels. The goals for 2050 are another matter.